The Maid and the Master
by Lady Weasleyy
Summary: When Hermione has to get a summer job after the war, because her parents are still away in Australia, she isn't qualified for wizard work. Thus, she's stuck working in a mansion every week. One she's terrified of.


_((A/N: Thanks for even reading this! This is my third fic - I mean, I'm writing them at the same time and all, but still. Third so far! - so I'm still relatively new to this, but enjoy it immensely. _

_Backstory: I was cleaning my mom's friend's house, making some money (yay!). Anyway, they let me sing along to my iPod, because I'm a decent singer - no Hillary Scott, you know, but not horrid - and the woman's son was listening in, and ended up joining in at times. It gave me a crazy idea, and I'm not sure how it's going to work._

_Let's hope it's not all that bad! xD _

_Mitchie))_

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**Chapter One of 'The Maid and The Master'**

"You cannot be serious."

"Oh, come on. It won't be all that bad."

"Hermione! Without magic? Are you insane? It'll be slow, boring, and you probably won't even make all that much."

"Oh, come off it, Ronald." The aforementioned, Hermione, snapped in return.

Hermione Jean Granger, and her best friend Ronald Bilius Weasley, were seated in Hermione's kitchen, arguing about her latest career plan. Rather, her first one. She had never had an actual job before, and wasn't qualified for Ministry jobs, no matter how many times she helped 'The-Boy-Who-Just-Won't-Die' and his friend 'Weasel'. Having been extremely taken aback, Hermione reverted to her Muggle ways, being a Muggle-Born Witch, and decided that something she'd been good at was Cleaning House. It was a pathetic excuse for a talent, but she was one of the most neat-obsessed people you would ever meet. Plain and Simple. So, not being able to do magic in the homes of Muggles, she knew that Ron had a point. However, she hadn't limited herself to just the Muggle community. As demeaning and humiliating it may be for her to clean house for the people she's helped saved, Hermione knew that she had to make money some how. The Muggles had no idea of what she'd done for the Wizarding Community (except for a select few, like her parents) and because she had no work experience, most places wouldn't hire her. The places that would, of course, were most certainly not her 'cup of tea'.

"But, Hermione!" Ron was whining, "For _them_?! For the enemy!? Don't you remember what he tried to do to Dumbledore?"

Hermione sighed audibly, and turned to face Ron directly. "You mean, what he would've done, if he hadn't realized he was making a mistake? In case you hadn't noticed, he never became a Death Eater. I, to state the obvious, would not work for a Death Eater's family. They would just spend the day trying to murder me, by whatever means they could, be it 'drowning in a toilet' or 'falling downstairs'."

"The second is more believable." Ron muttered, obviously not wanting to make Hermione angry. He had seen her wrath many times before.

For example: after the battle. Sure, during the battle, Hermione had kissed him, and he'd been more than happy to return the favor. They had both been waiting for years. However, once they returned home, and didn't see each other very often, they grew apart. Hermione had explained that it wouldn't work out, because they argued so much. Ron, however, kept attempting to win her over. Eventually, she had to basically threaten to hex him into oblivion before he got the hint. By now, of course, they were closer.

"I know, Ronald." Hermione rolled her eyes. She was acting more prim than normal, Ron noticed.

"So you're going to do it? Once a week?" He asked, aghast at her decision.

"Who am I to say I'll work for anyone, then turn someone down because of what _might_ have happened, and because they _might_ be evil. I have no proof, and I am one of those people who has learned that if you want to get anywhere, you have to try to see the good in people, even if you doubt there is any. You, too, should've learned that by now." She frowned darkly. Hermione had a hard time believing he would go for that. She, just like anybody else, was wary of her new client.

"A smart person! That's who!" Ron grumbled irritably.

"You're just irascible today, aren't you?!" Hermione burst out, standing up. "I'm not going to deny them, when I have no proof in the matter, and that's that." She snapped.

"Alright, fine. But if anything happens, send an owl, patronus, whatever immediately. I'll apparate there in a flash." Ron said protectively.

"More like a crack." Hermione smiled at her own joke. Ron, however, didn't seem to get it.

"What?"

"Nothing." Hermione shook her head. "Well, today is the day I'm supposed to go and figure out the days for my clients." She informed him.

"And you tell me _today_?" Ron asked, taken aback.

She simply nodded at him. "You should get back to Lavender. I heard she's making something special tonight." Hermione winked at him. She hadn't approved of his choice of marrying Lavender, but pretended like it didn't bother her. Lavender wasn't.. bad. Just clingy.

"Really?" Ron perked up. "Well, um," He began, trying not to sound eager, "I should just be getting on home then.."

"See you later, Ron." Hermione waved at him, and they both disapparated, two loud cracks filling the room, and leaving the kitchen in silence.

Hermione felt it best to go to the dreaded household first, to get it over with.

Upon arriving, Hermione saw that it seemed less terrifying than the last time she'd been to the Mansion-like house. After walking up the long driveway, she knocked on the door, albeit reluctantly. After a moment, the door opened a bit, so the person inside could look out, then opened up all the way.

"Granger." A snooty voice said, a smirk appearing on the well-defined face of Draco Malfoy.

"Ferret." Hermione snapped, standing with a hand on her hip, now thoroughly annoyed. All he'd said was one word. After a year, he could still get on her nerves, just with that Smirk and annoying tone of voice he used when uttering anything to do with her or her friends. Or, Gryffindors in general, really.

"Is that the way to treat someone who is paying you, Granger?" Draco questioned, raising an eyebrow, but looking rather amused.

"I'm only here to choose a time, learn what you want done, and then get to the next house." Hermione informed him quickly.

"Alright." He shrugged. He moved aside, holding the door open. Hermione, however, remained rooted to the spot. "Afraid to come in? How else are you going to know what we need done?"

After taking a deep breath, sending a scowl in Draco's direction, and pulling herself up a little taller, she entered the Manor, a bit nervous, though she'd never admit it.

"Now, we've had most of the Dark Objects removed - that we knew of. For all we know, there could be more, so I wouldn't advise snooping." He said first off, leading her down the entrance hallway, and up the stairs.

Hermione wondered if that was true. Perhaps he hadn't had them taken away. What if they were going to jump out and get her? Or, maybe he had, but pretended like he didn't know if they were all gone, attempting to keep her out of areas he didn't want her in. She chose to believe it was the latter, and said nothing.

"So, we basically need all you can do in the time you've allotted to this house. Pretty much, whatever you see that looks like it needs to be cleaned, have at it. Except, however, the third floor. That floor is set apart for bedrooms and such, and we'd appreciate it if you avoided that floor altogether. It's generally cleaned, as we spend most of our time up there."

"Who's we?" Hermione couldn't help the words slipping out of her mouth.

"Mother and I." He smiled at her. Did he know she had wanted to know if he'd gotten married? Did he know that's what she had thought? Of course, she couldn't figure anyone who'd want to marry him, anyway.

"Oh. How is she?" Hermione asked, hoping to get that smile off his face, and maybe to even get him to look away. It worked. She couldn't stand those silver-grey eyes boring into her. Draco, by all standards, was nowhere near ugly. In fact, he was downright handsome, if not absolutely god-like. His white-blonde hair was a bit shorter than she was used to, but it looked good on him. His face, simple and well-designed, looked as always, only older. Not old-people old, mind you. Just the right age. More like an adult than a child. He leaned over a table to move something that had fallen over, and Hermione almost gasped. She had always expected him to be pasty and gross-looking. However, he was wearing a simple white button-up shirt, and the top few buttons were undone. When he leaned over, she saw that he was not, like the rest of his skin, as pale as he used to be. Aside from that, he had a fabulous set of washboard abs, which Hermione knew not even Harry or Ron - her best friends, who happened to be aurors - had any quite like his. How had that happened?!

"Now, about the day.." Draco was saying, ignoring Hermione's question, and turning back to her. He caught her looking all moon-faced, and grinned. "Ah, you didn't expect me to be so different, did you?"

It had been at least a year since the war. The Rebuilding of the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts was going much slower than anticipated, thus school had been held off for a year. Hermione would turn 20 in her last year of education (primary, that is. If she chose to go on to College, she would end up being almost 25 when she graduated), rather than 18, as she should have, had school gone on normally for her seventh year.

"Not really." She admitted, blushing and looking at her feet.

"I'm not surprised. I imagine I did look rather.. well, I'll let you fill in a word." He shrugged. _Wimpy_ Hermione thought immediately, but was a bit afraid to say it aloud. "Anyway, how are Saturdays?"

"Fine, fine. That's fine." She nodded. "Every Saturday, until school starts back up."

It was only April. Boy, she hoped school started early this year. It usually didn't begin until sometime in early September.

"Very well. I'll see you in a few days, Granger." He smirked, leaning against a wall in the entrance way. Hermione wasn't quite sure how they'd reached the front door again, but just nodded at him. "Oh, and when you come, avoid Mother if at all possible. She's a bit.. out of it. All the time. Just a warning."

"I will." She nodded, almost afraid to ask what was wrong. "Draco..?" Hermione asked hesitantly, having been heading for the door, but turned back.

"Hmm?" He asked, lifting his head up, from his gaze at the floor.

"Why did you ask me to come?"

"Because the house needs cleaning..?" He suggested, smirking at her.

"Yeah. I knew that." Hermione nodded, thoroughly embarrassed. "Um, would you mind horribly if I brought my Muggle Music-player to listen to? You won't have to listen, because it'll just play into my ear, and all.. I work faster that way."

"Why not?" He shrugged.

"Thought you hated Muggle things." Hermione said, as though as an explanation for her questioning.

"I've learned that Muggles are much smarter than we give them credit for. Rather, than pureblood families like mine have." Draco said, as though regretting his believing the other pureblood families he'd known and listened to about Muggles and Muggle-borns. Of course, he never said anything about Muggle-borns in the first place.

"And.. Muggle-borns..?" She asked hesitantly.

"Some of them aren't half bad." He smiled at her.

"You've changed, Malfoy." Hermione smiled back, but caught herself and quickly made her expression seem blank.

"Maybe. You haven't. Not much, anyway."

"You don't know." Hermione snapped in return.

"Don't I?" Draco grinned at her in return. She was a bit afraid of that look, but refused to let it show.

"We'll see about that." She said skeptically.

"See you later, Granger." He said, turning to walk farther into the Manor.

"Hermione." She supplied.

"What?" He asked, confused, turning around to look at her again.

"It's Hermione." She said, blushing a bit.

"I know." He nodded.

Hermione made a small 'hmpf' noise, and opened the door for herself. "See you in a few days... Draco."

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_((A/N: Hey, Again! Thanks for reading! :D As always, reviews are Awesome! Anyway, at the end of my chapters, I'll try and have some kind of cool fact or maybe a little picture for ya'll. However, if people don't review, I might not ;) Trust me, this stuff is pretty spiffy. I've learned some pretty cool stuff recently, and I'm excited to tell you. No lie! So, yeah. You should review. And, please, when you do, don't just leave some random 'that was good' as your review. At lest give me ideas for the story, or constructive criticism! Good stuff!_

_Fun stuff for today:_

_~~~~/~~lol~~~~~_

_^^A dude about to be attacked by a shark. Watch out, 'lol' guy!_

_anyway, that was just for fun. Anyway, if ya'll have some cool facts, you should leave those, too! I love trivia._

_Again, thanks for reading. I'll even mention you next chapter if you leave me a review ;)_

_Writer Always, _

_Mitchie))_


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